Day: April 19, 2023

I’ve been working on this post for literally two months. It isn’t groundbreaking, super important, or one that I think my readers will finish and say, “Damn! That was some good blogging!” It’s just a post about hobbies and how my interests change over time.

The problem is I keep turning it into a lengthy philosophical rumination about how/why we select our pastimes instead of getting to the point and sharing a bit of news. So I’ve dispensed with all that bullshit…

About two months ago I sold my camera gear.

Crazy, I know.

I realized my camera and lenses were spending way more time in my office cabinet than around my neck being used. Which tends to happen with everyone’s camera kit eventually. While I could have just left it there, waiting for the few times each year I needed it, that felt like a waste of perfectly good gear.

There were two other factors that helped push me to sell.

First, I did not take my camera to Italy. I had an intense internal debate on whether to take my Fuji X-T2 or instead rent a Fuji X100V or Ricoh GR III to pack along. I decided, though, I didn’t want to deal with taking a camera through airport security and then lugging it around all day on our Italian adventures.

That seemed to work. Ninety percent of the pics I took with my iPhone were great. A few night shots would have looked better with a bigger sensor and faster lens. But those few additional photos would not have justified the hassle and risk of carrying a traditional camera for a week.

I also found the photography process much more casual with the iPhone. I could listen to our tour guide, walk, and snap a pic all at the same time. With a stand alone camera I would have had to stop, let my old man eyes adjust to the viewfinder, frame the shot, make any adjustments to the settings, and then fire away, likely missing what our guide was saying in the process.

Second, L got her own camera last year. It’s not a Fujifilm camera, but rather an entry-level Canon with budget lenses. When we need to take a picture that requires something better than an iPhone, there’s still a perfectly fine option in the house.

After a few weeks of research, I listed my camera on eBay and sold the lenses on KEH. I certainly didn’t make all my money back, but I did get a nice chunk of change. And people who are actively taking pictures can now use my old gear instead of it sitting ignored in my cabinet.

These sales weren’t without some serious second thoughts and regrets. I loved the Fuji X-series system, and learned so much about photography in the seven years I owned an X-T10 and then X-T2. They were the perfect mix of old school, analog camera style and modern digital technology. They looked cool; lots of people asked me if they were film cameras. They were fun to use once I mastered their controls. They forced me to learn about photography rather than just flip to Auto or Program and fire away.

I thought about dumping the earned money into an X100V. That fixed lens platform has really come into its own in its latest iteration. It isn’t quite small enough to be pocketable, but it does solve some of the size problem of carrying an interchangeable lens camera.

However, X100V’s are insanely popular right now. You can’t find one at a retailer and second-hand prices are nearly twice retail right now. Fuji has suspended taking orders for new ones and there are rumors they may not be making them anymore as they transition to the next version.

So that wasn’t really an option.

In the end I went back to my original argument: my iPhone plus L’s Canon are enough for now. I know Apple will keep improving their cameras, so when I next update my phone (a year from now at the very earliest) I’ll be tapping into better lens technology that will further narrow the gap between phone and traditional camera.[1] I’m hopeful their software will also continue to improve so that those occasional photos that look super processed appear far less often.

That is the story I’ve been trying to share for two months.

And then two weeks ago I did something unexpected. And maybe kind of dumb. But more on that later…